Easy to lower salt in foods - study

Calls for the Government to cap the amount of salt in commercially produced foods is unnecessary at the moment but should be introduced if the food industry does not keep working at lowering salt levels, the Heart Foundation says.

A new study from the University of Otago, Wellington, found it would be relatively easy to lower salt intake levels to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and stomach cancer.

New Zealanders are estimated to consume at least twice the recommended intake of salt.

"While individuals could choose to have healthier low-salt foods it would be much easier for them to make healthy choices if the Government did something to help," lead author Associate Professor Nick Wilson said.

"It could do this by regulating down the maximum level of salt permitted in commercially produced foods, particularly in bread, processed meats and sauces."

Professor Wilson said a tax on junk food would also help because such food was usually high in salt as well as sugar and saturated fat.

The study was published in the international journal PLOS ONE.

The Heart Foundation's Food Industry Setting manager Dave Monro said it supported voluntary measures for sodium reduction in the food industry.

There had been "considerable" progress made on some voluntary initiatives but "more work needs to be done right across the food supply than is happening", he said.

A regulatory approach was not needed, but that didn't rule out regulations introduced in the future if those voluntary measures were not proving to be successful, Mr Monro said.

The study found a healthy daily diet that reached all nutrient recommendations - including salt intake at under 5.8 grams per day - was possible at under $9 per day.

Food and Grocery Council chief executive Katherine Rich said some food companies within the sector were working hard to limit the salt levels in their products.

"They've looked at how you can reduce the amount of salt in the diet without the drop being so significant that Kiwis don't want to eat the food."

She said lowering salt levels had to be done in steps over time and regulations to cap the amount of salt would not work for some products.

"The main problem is you have to do your analysis category by category, for example dairy is different to pickles, which is different to snacks and cereals.

"A (salt) reduction of 10 per cent in pickles, for example, may in fact wreck the product. Ditto if you take out too much salt from bread, you may just be left with a tinful of gloop."

Salt had an important role in the food industry, from preserving to taste, Ms Rich said.

Ministry of Health Director of Public Health Mark Jacobs said the ministry welcomed research showing that New Zealanders could economically achieve low-salt diets with plenty of variety.

"The ministry does not regulate food, but develops national nutrition policy advice, which can be used by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Food Standards Australia New Zealand in the development of food standards," Dr Jacobs said.

No one from the Ministry for Primary Industries was available for comment.

How to reduce salt:

* eat meals without adding extra salt - start by using less salt in cooking. Taste your food before adding salt at the table;

* use herbs, spices and vegetable or fruit juice to add flavour instead of stocks and sauce mixes;

* cooking food in minimal water or in the microwave helps keep flavour so extra salt is not needed;

* when using salt, iodised table salt is recommended;

* ask for no added salt if buying takeaways;

* choose snacks without added salt; and

* choose vegetables and fish canned in water without salt.

Source: Ministry of Health